Root digger



Patented Feb. 9,

HENRY DIERKING AND RAYMOND DERBY,

PATENT QFFICE F FARIBAULT, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNORS TO AlNTDl'tEVVS NURSERYCOMPANY, OF FARIBAULT, IrIINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA Y BoorBIGGER Application led February Our invention relates to root diggers ofthe type especially adapted for use by nurseymen in digging small trees,shrubs or plants, that have been planted in rows or beds, and providesan attachment or auxiliary device which, in the digging operation, notonly lifts the loosened and more or less pruned roots from the ground,but loosens up and shakes the dirt fronrthe roots. Generally stated, theinvention consists of the novel construction, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and defined in the claims. iy Root diggers for the purpose above set D forth have hitherto beenprovided with approrimately U-shaped cutting blades combined with meansfor drawing the same through the ground under the major portions tof theroots to thereby cut the roots loose from the ground and loosen up thesoil. Attachments have hitherto also been applied to the cutting bladesfor lifting the several roots from the ground, but such attachments haveo A been rigid in respect to the cutting blades and t@ in the liftingoperation, simply raised up the roots and much of the dirt withoutloosening to any considerable extent the earth from the roots. It is acommon practice, in preparing `:small trees, shrubs, plants and the likefor winter storage and for shipment, to remove the dirt from the roots,leaving the roots substantially clean; and with the old form of diggers,it has therefore been necessary to Ipull up the severed roots and loosenand shake the dirt from the same before storage or shipment. Ourinvention provides a lifting plate with means for shaking or vibratingthe same vertically during the lifting operation and w which cleans thedirt from the lifted roots as J stated in the above introductoryparagraph.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein likecharacters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

n Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective showing our improved lifting and shaking deviceattached to a root digger involving the customary U- .shaped form of thecutting blade;

u Fig. 2 is a plan view of the attachment 2, 1931. Serial N0. 512,810.

showing also a fragment of the cutting blade to which it is attached;and

Fig. 3 is` a section taken on the line 3--3 I of Fig. 2. Y

The parts of the digger proper or digger minus lifting and shakingattachment may be briefiy noted as follows:

The U-shaped cutting blade l preferably a tempered steel blade, isattached to the rear front ends of the draw bars 5 by chains9.

A device of this character is adapted to be drawn forward and forcedthrough the ground in position to properly cut the roots, by horsesattached to the whifletrees 8 and driven on opposite sides of the rowoftrees, shrubs, plants or the like.

The liftingV and shaking attachment involves a liat metal plate 10 and ashaker wheel 1l. upperbars of laterally spaced .runner frames l2, thefront ends of which are bent to form sleeve-like bearings 13 that arepivotally connected by a short hinge bolt le to a hinge lug 1,5. Thishinge lug l5 is riveted, bolted or otherwise secured to the rear bottomportion ofthe blade land preferably such connection is made detachableby means of a nutequipped bolt 16.

The shaker wheel 11 may take various forms but must have an irregularperipheral portion so that when rotated, it will produce an upward andVdownward movement of its axis even if running on smooth ground. Asshown, said shaker wheel is made up of two interinediately connectedbars riveted together at their central portions and secured to a4 hub 17which, as shown, is journaled on a spindle or dead axle 18, the ends ofwhich are rigidly secured to the' rear bottom portions of the runnerframes 12 by means of nut-equipped bolts 19 or the like. The free' Theplate 10 is rigidly secured on the ends of the arms of shaker wheel l1are twisted laterally and bent circumferentially at 20 to afford endportions that will take a good grip on the ground and cause a positiverotation of the shaker wheel when the digger is drawn forward.

When the digger with the attachment described is drawn through theground with the blade 4 embedded in the ground far enough to passbeneath main body of the roots, the roots will, of course, be severedfrom the ground and immediately after being severed, plate l will liftthe severed roots and all the while that they are being lifted, the saidplate will be given an upward and downward vibratory or shaking movementwhich will loosen and remove the dirt from the roots. This leaves theroots free from dirt so that they may he easily and rapidly pickedl upin condition for storage and shipment without requiring the hithertonecessary hand or manual shaking operation. As is obvious, the so-calledrunner frames 12, in addition to affording suitable connection betweenthe shaker wheel and the lifter plate, limit the possible downwardmovement of the shaker plate even when the device is working in verysoft ground.

This device or attachment is therefore a great laborsaving device. Inactual practice, the device described has been found highly efficientfor the purposes had in view.

Vhat we claim is: l

l. The combination with a root digger involving an approximatelyU-shaped cutter blade and means for guiding the same through the earthto sever roots from the ground, of a lifting plate pivotally attached tothe lower portion of said blade, and a shaker wheel journaledto the rearportion of said lifter plate and having an irregular periphery arrangedto vibrate vertically the rear portion of said lifter plate underforward movement of the digger.

2. The combination with a root `digger involving an approximatelyU-shaped cutter blade and means for guiding the same through the earthto sever roots from the ground, of a lifting plate pivotally attached tothe lower portion of said blade, laterally spaced runner frames securedto the under side of said lifter plate, and a shaker wheel workingbetween and journaled to said runner frames and having irregularperipheral ground-engaging portions arranged to vibrate vertically therear portion of said lifter plate, under forward movement of the digger.

3. rlhe combination with a root digger nvolving an approximatelyU-shaped cutter blade and means for guiding the same through the earthto sever roots from the ground, of a lifting plate pivotally attached tothe lower portion of said blade, laterally spaced runner frames securedto the under side of said lifter plate, a spindle rigidly secured to thelower rear portions of said run ner frames, and a shaker wheel journaledon said spindle between said frames, said wheel comprising rigidlyconnected transversally intersecting metal bars having end portions thatare bent laterally and circumferentially for engagement with the ground.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

HENRY DIERKING. RAYMOND DERBY.

